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Hobbies and interests
Aerospace
Softball
Drawing And Illustration
Board Games And Puzzles
Mathematics
Kennedy Woodruff
535
Bold Points1x
Finalist![user profile avatar](https://static.bold.org/profilePictures/4dd7881657fc4e828c8e550f328b71293d1a91ee253f47a9b913a8e830eeb5f0.webp)
Kennedy Woodruff
535
Bold Points1x
FinalistBio
I am a 17-year-old Senior at Spartanburg High School. I plan to go to Wofford College to major in Pre-Engineering. My dreams are to pursue a career in Aerospace engineering or to become a Physicist.
Education
Spartanburg High School
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Master's degree program
Majors of interest:
- Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
Career
Dream career field:
Aviation & Aerospace
Dream career goals:
Sports
Softball
Varsity2023 – Present1 year
Awards
- Offensive MVP
C.L. Scholarship of Black Women in Engineering
I have always had an affinity towards building, organizing, and designing, and once I discovered engineering, I instantly knew this was the path for me. Recently, I found my love for aviation, and it sparked an interest in flight. How elegant animals can soar through the sky, reaching heights we humans could only dream of. So, when looking for a major, I wanted to bridge these two interests together, hence Aerospace engineering. However, similarity to most people, what sparked my interest into this field was a character in a movie. She battled oppression, discrimination, and opposition while successfully doing her job. Instead of capitulating to her society, and allowing them to further suppress her peers, she fought for her recognition and respect within NASA which paved the way for young ladies like me.
Hidden Figures, directed by Theodore Melfi, revolved around three brilliant young Black women who were the brains for the launching of astronaut John Glenn into orbit which pushed America one step closer to landing a man on the moon. These three ladies did the leg work, only for NASA to hide their involvement. Prior to this movie, sadly, I did not know these women existed and the inspiration for my career would not have been as clear. Katherine Johnson, one of the three women, inspired me to pursue a career in Engineering because despite the stereotypes and discrimination, I can prevail. Johnson had to combat the struggles she faced for a love of her job. She enjoyed completing calculations and taking part in something so important. In this field, I will be a part of something greater than myself and I know the adversity I will face will parallel to Johnson, but like Johnson, I will overcome and succeed.
In college, I plan to double major in physics and mathematics in the pre-engineering program at Wofford College. My career has the potential to change the future by revolutionizing the travel industry. It develops cutting-edge technology that facilitates faster, farther, and more efficient traveling in all aspects of life, from day-to-day traveling to military drones. I will use Katherine Johnson’s success as a beacon for all the things Black women can and will do. She battled for herself and her community against the prejudice and racism of her time, not only in STEM related fields, but in all occupations. I will take this inspiration and build upon the Black women legacy ladies like Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.